Researcher and social policy specialist from the Dominican Republic, based in Belgium
I became a member of ENIEC in 2024 and it has been both a joy and great privilege to join such a diverse, interdisciplinary community committed to enhancing care and support for older persons from ethnic minorities and migration backgrounds in Europe. Attending my first Annual Meeting in Helsinki was especially exciting, as the central theme, human rights of older persons, directly resonated with my research, advocacy, and previous policy work. It was truly meaningful to connect with incredible people from different fields across ENIEC’s membership and to engage in discussions and reflections together about the challenges and potential of human rights to improve the lives of older persons, transforming their treatment in society.
Since 2023, I’ve been a full-time PhD researcher at the Society and Ageing Research Lab, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), as part of the EU’s Marie Skłodowska Curie Doctoral Network Advancing Research and Training on Ageing, Place and Home (HOMeAGE). My project examines ageing in place, rights-based approaches to ageing, care and support policies, and decolonial frameworks. Within my project, I’m also quite grateful to collaborate with AGE Platform Europe, the largest network of organisations representing older people in Europe, as well as with the WHO’s Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities. My motivation as a doctoral researcher is to expand the impact of my work and contribute to advancing key knowledge needed to inspire critical policy decisions for promoting social justice in our ageing world. My positionality, as an Afro-Caribbean woman with disabilities, with migration experiences across different countries and a former career in social policymaking, profoundly informs my vision and work, grounding my commitment to equity and transformative change.
With over 20 years of multidisciplinary experience, I have contributed to research and policy innovation across diverse contexts, including projects in Latin America, the U.S., Canada, Africa, and Europe. I have supported governments, communities, and international agencies in developing inclusive social and economic policies and programmes, several of which directly engaged marginalised older persons.
My work has provided strategic policy advice, technical expertise, and a critical lens in multiple international teams, including collaborations with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the French Development Agency, the United States Agency for International Development, and the Collaborative African Budget Reform Initiative.
I earned my master’s degree in International Economics from Carleton University (Canada) in 2009, a graduate certificate in Human Development from the UNDP in 2006, and bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Business
